Week of Jan. 16, 2012: Takeda Restructures; Savient Pharmaceuticals Names David Veitch President of Savient Europe; and More

Company Notes

The CDMO Almac has opened a new £3-million ($4.6 million), 30,000-ft² building at its Craigavon, United Kingdom, headquarters. The operations and departments at the new location will include packaging and distribution of medicinal supplies for clinical studies, business development, marketing, human resources, and information systems. Read More

In addition, Almac’s sciences business unit and the biopharmaceutical company MGB Biopharma have entered into a collaboration where Almac will manufacture the production of their lead gram positive antibacterial compound MGB-BP3. The compound is a DNA minor groove binder and is currently in preclinical development with IND filing targeted for the third quarter of 2012. Read More

Janssen Research & Development has opened Janssen Labs, a 30,000-ft² life-sciences innovation center located within the company’s Janssen West Coast Research Center in San Diego, California. The expansion is designed to provide a capital efficient, flexible lab environment for start-up companies pursuing new technologies and research platforms to advance medical care. To date, the management team of Janssen Labs has received and reviewed more than 100 applications. Companies are evaluated based on criteria such as the scope of science and/or technology, area of significant medical or market need, credible science/technology team, demonstrated financial solvency, as well as several other areas. The applying companies represent the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical devices, instrumentation, and diagnostics sectors. The facility can accommodate a maximum of 18 to 20 companies, and the application and assessment process will continue throughout 2012. Read More

NantWorks, a technology company, has announced plans to locate a new pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Terre Haute, Indiana. The company plans to invest $85.5 million to redevelop the former Pfizer facility in Terre Haute. The new manufacturing plant, which is expected to be operational in 2015, will produce critical-care injectable and oncological drugs. NantWorks was founded by Patrick Soon-Shiong, who previously developed two pharmaceutical companies: APP and Abraxis Biosciences. Read More

Novartis has announced plans to restructure its US general medicines business in the wake of the patent expiration of Diovan (valsartan), an antihypertensive drug, and the reduction in demand for the antihypertensive Rasilez/Tekturna (aliskiren) following the termination of a clinical study. The plans will result in the reduction of 1960 positions (1630 positions in its sales force and 330 support and headquartered positions). The restructuring is expected to result in an exceptional charge of approximately $160 million to be recognized in the results for the first quarter of 2012. The company hopes to produce full-year savings of approximately $450 million as of 2013, about half of which is expected to be realized in 2012 due to reorganization timelines. Read More

Takeda has announced plans to restructure following its October 2011 acquisition of Nycomed. The restructuring plans include a reduction of its global workforce by approximately 2800 (2100 in Europe and 700 in the US) positions by the end of fiscal year 2015 across the functions of R&D, commercial, operations, and general and administrative. Read More

In other news:

Carbogen Amcis has acquired Creapharm Parenterals.

Constellation Pharmaceuticals has formed an epigenetics drug-discovery and development collaboration with Genentech.

FEI has announced a collaboration with the National Institutes of Health to create a laboratory for structural biology research.

Fleming Pharmaceuticals has sold select branded products to Valeant and is considering options for its Midwestern manufacturing capability.

Genzyme has received EMA approval of its manufacturing plant in Framingham, Massachusetts, for the production of Fabrazyme (agalsidase beta).

Islet Sciences has selected NeoStem’s manufacturing subsidiary Progenitor Cell Therapy for a product manufacturing agreement.

Molecular Profiles has invested £9-million ($13.9 million) in the construction of a new manufacturing facility.

Paragon Bioservices received a multimillion-dollar US Department of Defense contract for filovirus vaccine development and manufacturing.

Particle Sciences adds Brabender Pharma extruder to expand extrusion capabilities.

Quintiles has formed a new cancer biomarker R&D company.

SignaBlok has been awarded a US Department of Defense contract to support new technology to combat sepsis.

People Notes

AAIPharma Services has appointed Eduardo Uribe as senior director of quality services at the company's Charleston, South Carolina, parenteral manufacturing facility.

Myoderm has appointed Matt Grace as director of international supply services.

Parexel has appointed former senior FDA official David Elder to its global team of strategic compliance experts.

Premier Research has named Colin Hayward as its European medical director, and Susan Stansfield as executive vice-president of clinical development.

Savient Pharmaceuticals has appointed David Veitch as president of Savient Europe.

Theorem Clinical Research has named Brian Bollwage vice-president of global regulatory affairs.